


When Your Mind Is A Mess, I Can’t Sleep (Please Close Your Eyes)

by booksnchocolate



Category: Bandom, Marianas Trench, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Nightmares, SO MUCH FLUFF, Schmoop, it's just cute okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 06:36:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1028406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booksnchocolate/pseuds/booksnchocolate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt has a nightmare. Josh comforts him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Your Mind Is A Mess, I Can’t Sleep (Please Close Your Eyes)

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I don’t know these people IRL. Written for fun, not profit.  
>  **A/N:** The idea for this was kind of inspired by [Stand Back Up And Be A Man About It](http://fuckyeahjoshandmatt.tumblr.com/post/31228568107) because I read that and needed something fluffy to ease my aching heart. So the events in that fic are kind of (really vaguely) referenced here. Title from Jack Johnson’s _No Other Way_.   
>  Originally posted anonymously at [FYJM](http://fuckyeahjoshandmatt.tumblr.com/post/65726345094).

 

“Josh! Josh!” Matt bolted upright in bed, shaking, chest heaving with adrenaline.

“Mmf? Matt?” Josh rolled over, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Whas matter?”

But Matt was shaking too hard to answer. Josh groped on the bedside table for the lamp, flicking it on and wincing in the sudden brightness.

“Matty,” he said quietly, edging over to him, “what’s up?”

“I – I –” Matt gulped, unable to form words. In the light, Josh could see sweat beading at his temples and that his face was streaked with tears. A pang of guilt shot through him. Matt shouldn’t ever have to cry.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” he asked again. “You can tell me, it’s okay. I’m here.”

“I – oh, fuck, Josh, it was – it was a dream, it was such a bad dream –“ Matt curled in on himself at the memory, shoulders quaking. He sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

Josh could barely speak around the tightness in his own throat. Seeing Matt so hurt and vulnerable was killing him; and, worst of all, he didn’t know what to do. He froze for a moment, paralyzed with indecision. But instinct took over, and he moved closer to his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around him. Matt buried his face into the juncture of Josh’s neck and shoulder, all but crawling into his lap.

“Oh, Matty,” Josh breathed, resting his chin on Matt’s head. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“It’s so s-stupid,” Matt gasped, clinging to him like a lifeline. “God, it’s so stupid, but  _fuck_ , Josh…”

He trailed off, unable to speak. At a loss for words himself, Josh just held him, rubbing his back and feeling the tremors run though his body. Matt calmed down gradually under Josh’s ministrations; he stopped shaking and was still at last in Josh’s arms.

“Alright now?” Josh murmured, and felt Matt nod against him in response. “Do you wanna tell me what happened?”

Matt was silent a moment before nodding again. Face still pressed into Josh’s neck, he began to speak. “I – I dreamt that we were – I dunno, somewhere – and I – I hurt you.”

“You hurt me, huh?” Josh was careful to speak softly, never stopping his gentle caresses up and down Matt’s spine. “Why’d you do that?”

“I don’t know,” Matt moaned, fingers spasming against Josh’s back. “I think I was angry, but then I saw I hurt you and I was so scared – I woke up and I – I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I did it, I don’t know what happened – I could  _never_  hurt you, Josh, oh God, I could never, I –” Matt broke off and swallowed hard, squeezing his eyes shut. His breathing was laboured and his skin was clammy to the touch.

Josh pulled back to look at him with concern. “Matt, are you okay? Are you gonna be sick?”

Matt swallowed hard again and looked away. He breathed deeply for a moment before answering. “No, I – I don’t think so. I just – I feel so awful, I was so scared, fuck, I’m still scared, that was just… I don’t know what I did to you in the dream, I just knew I hurt you and you didn’t wanna be with me anymore and… fuck. I couldn’t even blame you, I –”

He broke off and looked down at his hands.

Josh was having none of that. “Hey,” he said, scooting closer, “hey, look at me.”

When Matt didn’t respond, Josh reached for him. “Matt.” He cupped Matt’s chin gently and tilted his head to look him in the eye.  “It’s okay. Look at me, it’s okay. I’m right here. I’m not leaving you.”

Matt didn’t respond, but his gaze skittered across Josh’s face, not meeting his eyes. Josh sighed and cupped Matt’s face with both hands, carding his fingers through the sweat-damp hair at his temples. “Matty,” he whispered, “it was just a dream. I’m fine. You’re fine. Mkay?” He pressed a kiss to Matt’s forehead.

Matt tightened his grip on Josh, pulling him in close enough to feel his body heat. There was silence for a long moment, broken only by the soft sounds of their breathing. And then: “Okay,” Matt said in a sleep-scratched voice.

“Okay,” Josh repeated, swiping a thumb across Matt’s tearstained cheeks. “It’s four in the morning; d’you wanna go back to bed?”

“Yeah,” Matt mumbled and yawned hugely. He exhaled and leaned in to press a sloppy kiss to Josh’s lips. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Josh, y’know that?” Even slurred with exhaustion, there was no mistaking the sincerity in his voice. Josh was grateful for the dim light that hid the blush crawling up his neck.

“I know,” he said softly, and if his voice was choked with emotion, well, blame it on the sleepiness; he brushed a feather-light kiss over each of Matt’s eyelids. “Now c’mon, lie back down, let’s go to sleep.”

“Mmm,” Matt agreed, burrowing back under the covers. Josh followed suit, clicking the light off as he settled in. Matt nestled in next to him, pressing closer until their legs were tangled together. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but when Matt laced their fingers together, Josh couldn’t find it in himself to care.

“You’re the best,” Matt mumbled again as he drifted off to sleep. “Stay.”

Josh couldn’t hold back a smile. He stroked a thumb over Matt’s knuckles. “Always, Matty. Go to sleep. I’m right here.”


End file.
